From a Small Bug to a Deep Story. How observation, emotion and symbolism bring meaning to fictional characters.
It all started with me photographing a stag beetle. I noticed its uniqueness — the broken antennae, the scars on its body, and especially the damaged wing.
And I thought: “Man, you’ve been through something … just like me. And yet, we are awesome.” That feeling became the seed for my character: "Cracked But Still Sincere.”
I didn't want to simply copy the insect. I wanted to take what I saw and turn it into a story — using its shapes, imperfections and qualities to express something personal.
The symbolism.
👑 Crown — Inner Authority
The horns, originally suggesting defense and survival, transformed into a crown they become a symbol of self-mastery.
🌿 Staff — Guidance
A living branch, carrying signs of life. It represents support, the life journey, and our connection with something larger than ourselves.
🟡 Cape — Resilience
Inspired by the ravaged wing emerging from the cracked carapace. Torn and weathered, it represents something vulnerable that is still powerful — a memory of what we have been through.
🦋 Butterfly — Transformation
A reminder that change is part of the journey. We can move from one stage of ourselves into another without losing the story of where we came from.
🩹 Scars & Wounds — Wisdom
A scar says that something happened but I continued. The challenges become part of our experience, our strength and eventually our wisdom.
🚬 Pipe — Reflection & Wisdom
Symbol of contemplation, truth, and wisdom gained through experience. He doesn't simply react to life — he pauses, observes, and reflects on what he has been through.
For me, visual storytelling isn't about drawing the perfect line or copying a reference.
It's about asking:
What does this mean?
What can I say through it?
What part of my own emotions and experiences can live inside this character?
A sketch can become a character. A character can become a metaphor. And a metaphor can become a story.
For the final image, I used AI to render my original sketch into a more cinematic, painted direction. I directed the colour palette, mood, weather, lighting and atmosphere. And yes, the volumes and fine tunes are not quite stable but still …
The AI helped me explore the visual language — but the meaning and creative decisions came from the story I wanted to tell.
This is why I believe creative thinking is not simply about creating something new.
Creative thinking is about Creating with Meaning.
And this little warrior isn't standing on the cliff because he conquered the world. He is standing there because he survived himself — and he still chooses to look forward.
Cracked, but still sincere.
P.S. All the reference photos in this project are mine.
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